Labrys
/ˈlæb.rɪs/noun
A double-headed axe, especially associated with ancient Minoan and later ritual symbolism.
Did you know?The Labrys is strongly associated with Minoan Crete, but its exact linguistic origin is uncertain; the word was popularized in modern scholarship and later became a potent symbol in ritual and political contexts.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
λάβρυς (labrys)
“A double-headed axe; a ceremonial or sacred axe in later interpretation.”
Classical Antiquity
Greek
λάβρυς / λάβρυες
“Referenced in connection with Cretan or ritual contexts, though the term’s deeper origin was already obscure.”
19th Century
English
labrys
“Borrowed by scholars from Greek to name the double axe found in Aegean archaeology.”
20th Century
English
labrys
“Used in archaeology, symbolism, and later as an emblem in various modern movements.”